Victim 1 in the Jerry Sandusky abuse scandal spoke publicly about the convicted former Penn State assistant football coach for the first time Thursday. / Eric P. Mull, US Presswire

by By Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports

by By Erik Brady, USA TODAY Sports

Penn State is "off to a very good start" in making major institutional changes after the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal, but "much remains to be done," according to George Mitchell, the former U.S. senator who is serving as the school's athletics integrity monitor.

Mitchell, best known in a sports context for his Mitchell Report on steroid use in baseball, Friday issued the first of a series of quarterly reports on progress at Penn State. He was appointed to monitor Penn State for five years as part of a compliance agreement with the NCAA and the Big Ten.

The 57-page document notes that Penn State had already established an administration response team even before the Athletics Integrity Agreement (AIG) was reached.

"The University's efforts have resulted in tangible achievements," the report says. "Many formal policies have been revised or adopted, including policies to govern background checks for University employees, access to University athletics and recreational facilities, protection of children involved in University-affiliated activities, and the duties to report possible child abuse."

The report notes that new background procedures were followed for thousands of employees involved in Penn State sports camps and that "more than 9,600 individuals have been trained as to their duties as mandated reporters of suspected child abuse under Pennsylvania state law and roughly 2,600 'campus security authorities' have been trained about their reporting responsibilities under the federal Clery Act."

The Clery Act requires schools to disclose information about crime on and near their campuses and is tied to a school's participation in student financial aid programs.

The report singled out football coach Bill O'Brien: "Several other Penn State head coaches have praised his leadership in permitting a reduction in the football team's roster by ten players to open slots for men to compete in other sports. Coach O'Brien agreed to open the Lasch Building, which previously had been reserved for use by the football team only, to use by other varsity programs."

That's the building where Sandusky, a former assistant football coach, was accused of abusing boys in showers. Sandusky was convicted on 45 of 48 counts of child sex abuse and sentenced to 30 to 60 years in prison, a de facto life sentence as Sandusky is 68.

NCAA President Mark Emmert talked to reporters after a Friday speech to the Detroit Economic Club and said he is happy with progress at Penn State.

"What's not getting attention is the athletic-integrity agreement that Penn State signed and is taking very seriously," Emmert said. "We have Sen. George Mitchell involved in overseeing it, and there is no question of his credentials. That's the part that is going to create serious change in the Penn State culture."

Mitchell's report notes a number of initiatives must be put in place in coming weeks, including "implementation of the newly adopted Code of Conduct for Intercollegiate Athletics" and that certifications must be obtained that all who are covered by the code have read and will abide by it.

Penn State president Rodney Erickson said in a statement: "While we recognize that there is much more to do, we're happy that Sen. Mitchell and his team recognize all that we have done and we are committed to continuing these efforts."